Image from Sealant Brochure provided by Idaho Department of Health and Welfare
What are dental sealants?
A dental sealant is a protective plastic coating that is placed on the top surface of back teeth.
What does a dental sealant do?
A sealant keeps cavity-causing germs from entering into the small "pits" and "fissures" in back teeth.
Why are sealants important?
Brushing, flossing, and rinsing are not sufficient to prevent cavities from forming in the tiny gaps on back teeth.
Sealants are a preventative treatment that provide additional protection. Applied without needles or drills, sealants help prevent against cavities that
may form later in life. This results in fewer cavities and an overall lower cost to the patient. Although in the past sealants were generally done
only on children, recent studies have shown that it is worthwhile for adults to get sealants and to maintain them throughout their life.